President Trump talks illegal immigration in this week’s address 6/23/18 [video + transcript]

President Donald Trump spoke about illegal immigration, loopholes, and Congressional failure to act in this week’s Presidential Address.

“Democrat-supported loopholes in our federal laws have enabled roughly half a million illegal immigrant family members and minors from Central America to be released into the United States since 2014, at unbelievably tremendous taxpayer expense,” Trump said. While illegal aliens can only be held for a period of days or weeks, it can take years to move their cases through the legal system to actually try to send them back to their home countries. For example, of the removal orders issued for unaccompanied alien children over a recent two year period, 90% were done in absentia, that means they weren’t there and they never showed up for their removal hearing.”

“Congress and Congress alone can solve the problem. And the only solution that will work is being able to detain, prosecute and promptly remove anyone who illegally crosses the border,” he added.

Transcript

Our country is currently facing a crisis of illegal immigration on our southern border.

Democrat-supported loopholes in our federal laws have enabled roughly half a million illegal immigrant family members and minors from Central America to be released into the United States since 2014, at unbelievably tremendous taxpayer expense. While illegal aliens can only be held for a period of days or weeks, it can take years to move their cases through the legal system to actually try to send them back to their home countries. It is a ridiculous process. For example, of the removal orders issued for unaccompanied alien children over a recent two year period, 90% were done in absentia that means they werent there and they never showed up for their removal hearing. What else is new?

The United States cannot have an open border to every illegal alien family and minor on the face of the earth. We must have rules, we must have laws, and we must enforce those laws. The driving factor in the surge of illegal families and minors is the belief that there will be no consequence for illegal entry, and no likelihood of removal or reprisal.

Unfortunately, Open Borders Democrats support the loopholes that prevent families from being detained and removed together they just want everyone to be released into our country no matter how dangerous they are. They can be killers, they can be thieves, they can be horrible people the Democrats say its okay for them to be in our country. I dont think so. Congress and Congress alone can solve the problem. And the only solution that will work is being able to detain, prosecute and promptly remove anyone who illegally crosses the border.

Remember this, we need Democrat votes. Without the Democrats constantly obstructing, theres no way you can do it. Without having Democrats voting, there is no way you can get this done. So the Democrats are obstructing, the Democrats dont want border security, the Democrats are okay with crime but were not okay with it.

We need Democrat votes. Without it, frankly, nothing can be done.